12 countries with free higher education

Education abroad is becoming more popular every year, but for many still remains an unattainable dream. There are many myths about education abroad, one of the most common is the following: studying in another country is expensive, and the scholarships are only for geniuses. And if we say that this is not true?

Today we've prepared for you a selection of countries where universities are absolutely free to study, paying only a small registration fee. We also tell you approximately how much money it takes to live in different countries and what the requirements for admission are. Let's go!

Germany

In Germany, universities are publicly funded, so education here is free for both local and foreign students, whether they take bachelor's or master's degrees. Students pay only a semester fee, which varies from 60 to 400 EUR per semester. The most expensive education is in Baden-Wittenburg, where increased fees for foreigners (about 1,500 EUR per year) are introduced. Free education in Germany is mainly in German, therefore for entering the university you have to confirm your language skills at C1 level. However, every year there are more and more free programs in English at state universities in Germany, and there are many bachelor programs. You can find a complete database of programs at the DAAD website.

It is not possible to enter Germany immediately after school, as students here study one year longer. To close the missing year you can enter a university in your home country, or you can enter the Studienkolleg in Germany - this is a special one-year preparation to university for foreigners. At the end of the year you take examinations and the results are forwarded to the university. Studienkolleg is also free of charge. If you apply after one year in your home country, the grades from the first year are counted, and you may only take a related discipline in Germany that you studied in your home country. The cost of living in Germany is quite cheap in comparison with other Western countries; each month a student needs about 750-1100 EUR depending on the city.

Czech Republic

Education in Czech Republic is free because it is also funded by the state. But you can only study for free in Czech, the English-language programs are paid. That is why in order to matriculate you have to prove your language knowledge to a B2 level minimum, for example with the CCE exam. We have written more about it and preparation earlier our article.

It is possible to enter the Czech Republic directly after the 11th grade, for this purpose it is necessary to pass the entrance exam in Czech. It would help to confirm a sufficient level of education for admission to public university. The cost of living in the country is relatively inexpensive; a room in a dormitory will cost you 100-200 EUR. To eat on the average 100 - 150 EUR. In total, a student in the Czech Republic will need 500-800 EUR per month, depending on the city and way of life.

Slovakia

Free education in Slovakia exists only in the state language, so you need to prove your level, at least B1-B2, with a certificate to enter. The exam takes place in Bratislava about 4 times a year and costs 120 EUR. Studies in English are also available at public and private universities, prices range from 500 to 6000 EUR. It is possible to enter Slovakia directly after school, there is no need to re-certify, but you may need to take entrance exams for some disciplines.

The cost of living in Slovakia is relatively low, the cost of living in a dormitory is 60-100 EUR per month, food costs about 100 EUR per month.

Norway 

Education in Norway is free for both local students and foreigners. And you can choose English-language programs, they are also free. At the bachelor's level there are almost none, but there are quite a lot of master's programs in English. Students pay only a semester fee of 30-60 EUR.

It is not possible to enter Bachelor's program in Norway directly after 11 years of school, it is necessary to study at least one year in an accredited university in the home country, but it is not necessary to pass entrance exams, admission to university is based on the average mark of diploma and the first year of study in the university in the home country.

There is, however, another way to get into a Norwegian university right after school. There is Russian-Norwegian school in Murmansk, which is a branch of Kongsbakken High School in Tromsø. Schoolchildren from Norway and Russia study there, Norwegian courses from scratch are provided, and the certificate is equal to the Norwegian one. It gives graduates of the school the right to preferential admission to universities in Norway immediately after graduation. It is possible to enter the Master's program immediately after the Bachelor's degree.

Despite the free education in Norway, the cost of living in the country is very high, the student will need 900 - 1400 EUR per month, and in Oslo about 2000 EUR.

Poland

From 2020, education in Polish inPoland is free for foreigners, provided they pass the C1 language exam. English-language programs are paid, but still available, costing around 2,000-4,000 EUR per year.
It is possible to enter the free baccalaureate in Poland immediately after school with the grades of the diploma, in some universities, however, it will be necessary to pass the entrance exams.

Living costs in Poland are relatively low, on average a student will need about 600-700 EUR per month to live in the country.

Finland 

Education in Finland is free for foreigners if you study in Finnish or Swedish. It is not easy to enter Finland, you have to pass entrance exams and, based on their results, apply to universities. The exams can only be taken in Finland.

The cost of living here is not as expensive as in neighboring Scandinavian countries, the average student needs about 600-1300 EUR per year.

Argentina

Not many people know, but in Argentina foreigners can get a bachelor's degree for free (including in English), but most programs are in Spanish. Accordingly, you will need a language certificate confirming the level of your language skills. Master's degree will cost 260-350 EUR per month. The scheme of admission in all universities is different. Some universities require students from the CIS countries to pass additional exams to confirm the level of education, and in some it is enough to have a document apostille. These questions should be clarified directly in the admissions committee.

The cost of living in Argentina is quite low, on average students need 2200 - 4000 EUR per year! Compared to European countries it's not much at all, and also the warm climate, free education and lots of parties!

Iceland

In Iceland education at state universities is free for everyone and in any language, students only need to pay a registration fee of 100-250 EUR. It is not possible to receive the bachelor's degree immediately after school, in Iceland the school graduates only at the age of 20, so the candidate from the CIS will have to study 1-2 years in an accredited university in his home country or in another country. After that you can apply to an Icelandic university, the decision is based on the grades in the diploma and the first year in the previous university. It is possible to enter a master's program in Iceland immediately after receiving a bachelor's degree. Iceland is quite small and there are not many universities at all, the bachelor programs are mostly in Icelandic, but there are a couple of programs in English, for example the University of Iceland offers an English-language bachelor's degree in International Pedagogy.

Iceland has an excellent standard of living and prices are quite high. A student will need 1200 EUR per month on average. However, in Iceland there are also a lot of different discounts and offers for students, so it is possible to save money.

Brazil

In public universities Brazil education is free for all, including foreign students. In private institutions the cost varies from 1,500 to 10,000 EUR. The official language in Brazil is Portuguese. Most undergraduate courses are taught in it, so it's necessary to demonstrate C1 proficiency. For admission to a bachelor's program after school you have to pass an entrance examination in Portuguese, which includes various questions on all subjects of the school curriculum. After that, according to the results, admission to the university takes place.

One of the pluses of education in Brazil is the possibility of obtaining citizenship immediately after completing the bachelor's degree - you need to live in the country for 4 years legally to obtain it, which is identical to the duration of the bachelor's degree. The cost of living in Brazil is lower than in European countries, but in the past few years, living conditions in major cities have been improving and prices have been rising. On average, a student will need 600-900 EUR per month, but it all depends on the city and lifestyle.

Luxembourg

There is only one famous university in Luxembourg, but it accepts all students, including foreign ones, for free! Each student only pays a registration fee of about 400 EUR for the first and second semesters, and then 200 EUR for each additional semester. Luxembourg is a tiny state, but very international, and there are three official languages - French, German and Luxembourgish. Therefore universities have many programs in three or two languages, perfect for those who want to become a polyglot! There are several programs in English, both at undergraduate and graduate level. For admission to Luxembourg after school you have to request recognition of your diploma in the state, the procedure takes place online. If the certificate does not prove a sufficient level of education, you have the option to take entrance exams or to study one year at a university in your home country.

The cost of living in Luxembourg is quite high, the student will need about 800-1200 EUR per month. At the same time there are many discounts and good deals for students.

The cost of living in Luxembourg is quite high.

Hungary

Higher education in Hungary is not free per se, but for CIS students there is an opportunity to receive a scholarship Stipendium Hungaricum from the government for education at any state university at all levels of study. Funding is awarded on the basis of grade point average and covers not only tuition, but also housing, food and other expenses. It is possible to choose programs in both English and Hungarian, and the application for the next academic year can be submitted every winter.

Turkey

Higher education in Turkey is free for everyone, students only pay a semester fee of 200 to 400 euros per year. However, this option is available only for those who speak Turkish, if you choose the English-language program, the prices are higher, on average it is 600-2500 euros per year. In this case to enter the bachelor's program in Turkey 11 years of schooling is enough, but depending on the university you may have to take additional exams. For admission to the magistracy you only need a bachelor's degree and a language certificate!
The cost of living in Turkey is quite low, the student will need about 550-700 euros per month for all expenses.

Now you know that studying abroad is actually more affordable than you think, especially if you know one of the local languages.

It only remains to choose your favorite country and apply,

We wish you good luck and success! And if you still can't decide which university to choose, or if you need help with your application and program selection, talk to our team of professionals StudyQA.